


Restart

by Izzu



Category: BBC Drama, Doctor Who, Torchwood
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-09
Updated: 2012-04-08
Packaged: 2017-11-08 02:39:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/438232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Izzu/pseuds/Izzu





	1. Chapter 1

" _World War Two... what the hell you've done to me?"_

He had avoided answering that question, at least until they have returned to Wales. Bringing Rex along obviously. He could have told him what he thought had happened but there was something he wanted to show the man here... in Cardiff. But before that, there was something he needed to tell Rex.

Jack glanced around to catch a glimpse of Mary fussing over little Anwen before turning towards Rex.

"Rex, before I start telling you what _really_ happened to you—at least what I believed it was, I wanted to ask you. Do you want... to join Torchwood and help us with whatever it is we're going to face in the future?"

Rex rolled his eyes at him. "Like hell? Why should I? Like I want to have any more ridiculous missions with you lot?"

Jack shrugged. "Well... with you now immortal, I bet it's going to be tricky for you now to live your life. Aside from you barely aging, people would start noticing that there was something _different_ about you." He sighed. "But if you don't want to work with us, it's okay. I'll contact the guys at UNIT to see if they have jobs for you, if you liked _them_ better. They had a branch in US after all—"

Rex frowned. "W-wait! I _have_ a job. My job was still there back with the CIA, so what's with this—"

"That's the thing," said Jack as he stressed, "—I don't think it's advisable... or _safe_ any more for you to remain with the CIA. That aside, I don't think our problems are over with the three families and I'd need help to pursue and fight them off when they make their moves again. It's not going to be easy... seeing that Torchwood is _seriously_ understaffed now."

"You're going to bring back Torchwood?", Gwen asked as Jack looked up towards her. "Because if you do, Jack... you _know_ I'll gladly help."

Jack nodded to her. "Yeah, I know. But Gwen... I can't let you—I mean, you have Anwen to take care off and you have Rhys and your mother..." he started to say before glancing to see if Rhys was stalking around. He was not.

Gwen rolled her eyes at him. Obviously Rhys was not nearby, she had sent him off on an errant just so he would not have chance to barge into their conversation. "And yes I know Rhys would object but Jack, if me returning to Torchwood could help protect everyone... I would risk everything to keep doing my job and stay alive. Besides... no matter how I hated the job, I still loved it."

Jack grinned. "Even if you could instead go back to being a police woman? With everything that had happened it might be better if you go back there..." he said as Gwen hastily shook her head.

"No. Even if I could go back now, I don't want to. Not after recent events..." she said as Jack nodded in understanding. He turned towards Rex.

"What you think?"

Rex bit his lips. "I'll... think about it. But Jack... I don't get it. What you mean it isn't safe any more for me? I mean... now that I'm like you, getting hurt while on duty's not going to be so easy now."

Jack frowned. "That's just it. All these time I always thought that there was nothing special about me aside from being a fixed point, in that that I could not die. Not in the normal sense anyway." He paused for a moment. "Rex, I had a child, a daughter... as well as a grandson. At least... used to, before he died. Neither of them exhibited the same nature as I have and they grew up like normal humans even though they had my DNA. They're _not_ immortal like me so I never thought that having my blood spilled or taken by some unscrupulous people have any use to anyone. Not until now. After what we've seen during the Miracle days. Now that _my_ immortal blood—or more specifically, my _exact_ DNA—runs in _your_ veins, I don't want anyone else attempting something like this again through _you_."

Rex snapped. "So it's my fault now? Because now I'm like this because of _your_ blood, you think you had a responsibility over me going about with my life?"

Jack cried out in alarm. "No... not like that. I'm actually... thankful for what you and Esther did. I mean... if you haven't done what you guys did with my blood, we wouldn't have been able to restore this world as it is. As much as I'm glad things turned out well... Rex, I'm scared. I've never imagined people could do these kinds of things... even with the strange things I've seen on this Earth and out there in the universe and I don't want to be reckless about it now. There are so much at stake here, not just for the present... but also the past and the future."

He sighed again. "I only thought I have to worry about this issue when dealing with aliens... or even the Doctor—Especially with the Doctor as his blood could change the course of the universe... but not me. Boy, was I wrong about that!" he said before he went quiet. "I never thought I'd face this kind of predicament as well."

Rex shook his head. "Wait... I don't catch you. What's with this Doctor you're mentioning—and how _did_ you ended up being immortal, anyway? What's this _fixed point_ you're talking about?"

Jack glanced towards Gwen to see that she was staring at him as well. Come to think, he had always been glazing over the facts about his immortality from her and the rest of the team... never saying the specific details, just telling it vaguely... and giving bits of details here and there. Never thought he would really tell anyone about it. Then again, why not.

"Well, I guess no harm in telling this. Seeing that Gwen... you've known me for quite a while and I doubt you guys are going to tell others about this. And not like it could affect the future. The _near_ future at least." Jack's eyes flitted from Rex to Gwen and back again.

Jack started to tell them briefly about when and where he originally came from and how he ended up meeting the Doctor, as well as _who_ the Doctor was. He told them briefly about what happened at Satellite 5.

"And just as I thought I was dead, killed by the Daleks... the next moment I was alive again. I never knew it at the time but that was the beginning of everything. The Doctor told me... that a friend of mine had done something in order to save everyone, and in doing so... resurrected me and turned me into a fixed point. I've been immortal ever since then." he said. "It has nothing to do with my biology, just that Time—in a way—stopped for me. I stopped aging, and I was not allowed to die. That was all there is."

Rex frowned. "So if what you're saying is true, then what about this thing that happened to me? Why I did end up being like you?"

Jack shrugged. "I think it was because my blood was inside of you. The Blessing probably thought that you're part of me and turned you immortal as well. Though, I'm not sure if you're also a fixed point like me."

Rex shook his head. "This... was kinda hard to swallow all in..."

Jack rolled his eyes at him. "Oh... you've got this easy. If the Doctor was around to explain, you probably won't be able to understand heads or tails of what he's talking about. Timey wimey he would always say... _very_ confusing. Better for you not thinking it too much. I don't quite understand it myself either at times. It's much easier to understand the concept of a fixed event in time and space compared to being a fixed point and how that could affect everything."

He scratched his head. "Well... back to the question, knowing what the families have done and not knowing what else they're planning to do or even _who_ they are; we've got a big problem on our hands. Not just to watch out for _normal_ extraterrestrial stuffs or any other rift related things, but we also had to watch out for _them_. Because we stopped them now; doesn't mean they don't have anything else up their sleeves."

"But Torchwood's gone already, right? It's just the two of you left of it," Rex asked as Jack grinned wistfully.

"I wonder about that..."

xxx

Gwen frowned as she drove the car towards the direction Jack told her to. They got out of the car as they walked into the courtyard.

"Jack? Isn't this... isn't this where the hub used to be?", Gwen looked around. "Are you sure we'll be fine around here?"

Jack stared at her as if she'd just announced a ban on ordering takeaways. "You'd think we'd have some more MIBs trying to kill us?" He glanced towards Rex. "Nope, don't worry about that."

Rex turned towards them as Jack continued.

"Well Gwen... I haven't been able to tell you before, since all that fuss Rex here had started last time—but the hub's also got rebuilt here. Not just the water tower and everything..."

Gwen blinked at him. "What? How—?"

Jack smiled weakly. "Long story, and I never told you or made contact to you about it in order to protect you. Since that time you've been living peacefully with Rhys and your baby, I cannot endanger you again. And then when we met again, there isn't really a good time to tell you about this."

Gwen gasped. "But how... why?"

He shrugged. "Well, originally I thought to just let them bury this place up after some of those fishy secret organization had done scavenging the remains of the hub. But I guess some _other_ people had different ideas. After a lot of fishy business UNIT got hold of the news and that included some certain _old_ friends. Never piss them off... I'd say. Heard that they took over control from the _local_ military swabs and those shady group and tried to fix things back up. Most of the bodies at the vault had been removed and buried elsewhere, funny to think that it took the destruction of the hub to allow _them_ to be given a proper burial..."

Jack sighed. "Anyway, the last time I was told about the restoration of this place they said they had managed to retrieve some of the alien techs that had been rummaged and sold off by the people who tore the place up. Mi5 and Mi6 didn't seem so reluctant to give them back and UNIT had their ways to get their way into things. Though we'd still have a lot of new equipments to set up if we ever wanna get back to business."

"So since I've been away for a bit of time before this, I told them to lock this place up and watch over it in case one day I might want to come back for it. So here we are."

Gwen gave him a look. " _Old friends_? Do we still have many of them around?"

Jack shook his head at her. "Martha and Mickey aren't our _only_ friends at UNIT, Gwen. Then again, _they're_ no longer part of UNIT now. As much as we had our rivalries with each other, UNIT's not as bad compared to those shady business that popped inside the government since."

He called Rex and Gwen towards the pavement. "I haven't really checked this place out since then. Lots of things to do and watch over I can't freely come down here to check things out. Not sure if all that _renovations_ retained some of the old _designs_..." Jack pushed a button on his vortex manipulator and the pavement below them gave a jerk.

His eyes shone. "I can't believe this! They really... I figured the lingering perception filter effect around this spot to still be present but holy shit!" he cried out as he kept a strong grip on both Gwen and Rex to keep remaining still. They descended onto the hub below. He sighed, longingly. "Never thought I'd missed this."

"Me too," said Gwen as they stepped out, the moment the lift reached the bottom floor. She looked around in wonder. "Wow, is it just me... or things barely changed here?"

Jack shrugged. "Not bad...," He whistled. "You should see the wreck it had been before. Especially after the second explo—"

Jack paused as he stopped himself. No. No need for Gwen to know about what happened to Cutler... or Suzie back then. Better to let the past be buried. He turned towards Gwen as he smiled. "We've had some stuffs taken here but those _people_ haven't dug too deep aside from the vaults. But we'll worry about that later this place was great!"

Gwen could not help but smile.

"UNIT..." she mused. "I wonder if those _old friends_ of yours that gave pressure on them to take over the running of this place and fixing the hub were not just _any_ of your old friends."

Jack suddenly turned to stare at Gwen before Rex noticed his expression went softer after that. "You mean like the Doctor?"

"Nah... I doubt it. He _hated_ this place. Torchwood used to be created to fight against him, you know?", he said before cocking his head to the side. "But... if he _did_ have a hand on it, that was so _sweet_ of him."

Jack smiled wistfully, as he recalled the last time he had seen the Doctor. He hoped he could meet him again; there were hearsays that said that the Doctor had _died_ in Lake Silencio but he hoped that was not true. People did attempt to falsify his death before so he hoped this was the same this time.

He quickly snapped himself out of it. "But that's _my_ Doctor! I wouldn't put it past him if he _did_ helped. Really... I wonder if I could see him again, and maybe ask him for help again. We might need his help with the families as well, if whatever they're planning next turned out to be greater than what Torchwood and UNIT combined could tackle. We might as well need _a lot more_ help than that."

He grinned before turning towards Rex. "We need to be ready. The twenty-first century is when everything changes after all. And we _still_ had a long way to go before this century's ran its full course."

"You just said that to sound cool, isn't it?" said Rex as Jack and Gwen snorted. He sighed. "Does that mean that I need to move here if I joined you guys?" he said again as Jack rolled his eyes at him, muttering 'obviously' under his breath.

He shrugged. "I'll... think about this. All things considered, not like I had anyone back home to stop me from leaving. If there is, they won't try to keep me back. And half the colleagues I had in CIA were already dead." He turned towards Jack and Gwen.

"It might not be so bad to start anew over here."

Jack smiled.

_Yes, the twenty-first century is when everything started to change. We needed to be ready for it._


	2. The New Doctor

Jack wandered aimlessly around the Roald Dahl Plass as he idly mused about the things he might have wanted to do onwards. Rex had already gone back on the earliest flight to the States, postponing his answer until the next time they see each other. Gwen on the other hand, had driven back home while he... for the lack of things to do, was wandering around doing nothing. She told him that he could always stay at their house, seeing that he had nowhere to sleep in beside the hub; but for the moment he would rather have a bit of time alone by himself.

Pretty big words he had said earlier, even if he actually did not have that much faith on it. Yet the concerns he raised were quite important. He _was_ serious about continuing to watch out for those three families until he was sure that the threats those lots posed finally end for sure. Not sure if he could fight them alone by himself... or with some help on his side.

Because he could not run away any more, since there was Rex as well to consider. It would have been simpler if he remained to be the only immortal human on this Earth. But things never ever want to be simple so he would need to improvise.

On another thought, why don't _he_ take his own advise and join UNIT? But nah... he was so used to being his own man and working under some new organization gonna feel strange. And it would be weird to join UNIT after all of the rivalries Torchwood used to have with them. Plus, no Martha and Mickey.

So... go freelance again? Not going back to being a conman of course; but doing the whole fighting bad aliens and stuff still, just alone by himself. Could he do that now? But going solo could not be good in a long run. No backup if you get stuck in trouble, no one to help you. That was why having a team of your own was good... and you could accomplish more like that. Compared to being a one-man team...

Ah, he missed the old team. Frustrating to know that most of them were already dead. Not sure he could find anyone else like Ianto... Tosh... Owen...

He sighed. It seemed as if everything around him decided to foil his plannings. He looked up towards the tower.

Wonder if Myfanwy was still around? He haven't got a chance to check on that pterodactyl last time, so many things happening—yet nothing on the news about any pre-historical carcasses found anywhere in these few years... nothing on the secured secret databases...

Fancy going around saving the world with a supposedly extinct creature? Jack snorted to himself. Now that's a silly image...

Sounds of some mechanical _breathing—_ pumping... or something, who cares it was _that_ familiar sound!—snapped him outta his reverie as Jack turned around to see the TARDIS materializing before him. He _was_ alive! The rumours was not true... he's alive!

And a nice coincidence too... considering he had just been thinking about the doctor.

Just as Jack was nearing the TARDIS the door opened, as a man in a tweed suit walked out of it... back facing him as Jack froze.

"... Doctor?" Jack gasped.

The man turned towards him as Jack jumped in surprise. It was a whole different person... and _another_ different dress style! He had heard about the new regeneration... but seeing the man himself was still a shocker.

"Is that really you?" he asked as the man gave him a lopsided smile.

"Jack! Hullo... it's been a while."

Jack blinked. "Yeah... it is. I heard the news that you... changed, and even...died! Did you really—?"

The Doctor eyed him sternly. "What's wrong with the new look? Heard the—have you been in contact with Sarah-Jane? But oh yes, the dying thing... though I supposed I had to explain. One time my death _was_ falsified in an attempt to steal the TARDIS. Another... if you meant about the recent gossip, yes, I had _died_. By chance you've encountered me now but aside from you, to everyone who knew of the events occurring at Lake Silencio... I _am_ dead."

Jack nodded, shrugging as he tried not too stare too much at the Doctor. "O...kay. Sorry for not attending your supposed funeral at that first time—then again, lucky I didn't come. Got the notice a bit late and went to find Sarah-Jane to hear the details. Ways for making me come back to Earth..." He sighed. "So what really happened? About this Lake Silencio thing... and what you've been doing all these times? Aside from what Sarah-Jane had told me, I haven't really heard a lot about your doing in this current incarnation of yourself. Though I supposed I had been busy myself as well..."

The Doctor shrugged. "I'll explain about Lake Silencio later. Though on other things... it was not surprising you haven't heard much about me because I've kept a very low profile lately. That and some events being negated in time itself and I don't really check what happened to it. And most of the other times I've been on a different timelines altogether. Of course, you won't be hearing too much about me, I don't go parading myself—that aside, why _did_ you looked for Sarah-Jane?"

Jack rolled his eyes. "Hub's still destroyed few years ago and Sarah-Jane had Mr. Smith and I got back here and need some help, go figure. Can't expect me doing a lot just depending on my one laptop and a Torchwood software. And there were some other things end up happening now and then." He sighed. "So... any new companions?"

"Yeah... two, though I'd probably say my goodbyes to them one of these days. _Properly_ , once I felt that it was okay for them to know that I'm not really dead. I might even get new people to tag along once I managed to get _certain_ things to settle down. Not that I hated the Pond, but now seeing that they're officially my in-laws... it might feel awkward,"

"Wait a—in-laws?" stuttered Jack as the Doctor grinned.

"Oh, did I forget? I got myself married... overly complicated stuffs, hard to explain..."

Jack nodded his head. "Yeah, we _really_ needed to catch up—but putting that aside, Doctor... is it possible for you to hang around these present timeline more often? Or at least give me some chance to be able to contact you in some way."

He wanted to know more about what happened to the Doctor, but this was more urgent matter to ask.

The Doctor blinked. "Why? Any reasons?"

Jack smiled sheepishly. "Well, I just thought that... you know, maybe one day I'll need your help. Could you make it a bit easier for me to find you? Not saying that I wanted to drag you down with my problems—I could take care of my own things most of the times—but in case there were some things that I couldn't handle on my own..."

"Then I'll be there to help."

Jack let out a gasp as the Doctor suddenly spoke. Because honestly he wasn't putting on that much hope that the Doctor would even consider his request... especially with this incarnation.

"I'll come. If you don't trust me on that promise... put your trust on her," said the Doctor again before pointing a thumb towards the TARDIS.

Jack stared warily towards the old wooden box, openly showing his scepticism. "Are you sure about that? Would you guarantee that the TARDIS won't just prevent you from coming to my aid just because she couldn't stand my presence?"

The Doctor raised one of his eyebrows at him. "Did she tried to chuck you out the last time you're inside her?"

Jack smirked. "Good point!" he said as the Doctor let out a cough.

"That aside... I owed it to _him_ to give you some help when you needed it."

Jack blinked. "Him?" he asked as the Time Lord shrugged.

"The _Doctor_ whom you once knew," he explained, as if he was talking about a wholly different person and not himself. Immediately Jack frowned at it. How did they managed to stray off-topic to here? They couldn't suddenly veered off—oh, come on... focus, Jack!

The Doctor cocked his head as he thought he saw Jack's eyed taking a slightly glossy look. True enough, Jack sniffled before hurriedly wiped the tears away from his eyes.

"Thank you... _Doctor_ ," he started to say. And suddenly as if struck by a stray thought, he looked up to look at the Doctor in the eye.

"I always wondered... since that last time I've seen you, how've you been? I suppose... that time when you popped up at the bar, it's before..." Jack gestured with both his hands towards the Doctor as the Doctor smiled weakly.

"Well... I've had my worse days, those were amongst it. The old me had been very fond of _that_ particular incarnation, so it's been hard to let go. But I'm fine now... not to worry! At least _he_ went out with a bang. Literally..."

Jack involuntarily let out a manic laugh as the Doctor finished talking. "I bet he did, that was _so_ like _him_ ," he said before noticing the sadness still present in the new, _new_ , new Doctor that was standing in front of him. He sighed. "I'd still need to be getting used to this new you. It's weird... and I'm _really_ fond of that old you. Much more than the you that I first met," he chuckled, "I guess, it's that cheekiness and charm."

The Doctor shrugged. "Don't you worry about it." he said before frowning. "Did something happened?"

Jack shook his head. "Nothing much. Aside from the things the old you must have found out before—because I assume that's how you managed to find me and chuck poor Alonso at me—" he said, before sighing, "...these few months, I got to be mortal again for a short time. Really ugly business of how some people wanted to control the world by turning everyone freakishly unable to die."

He smiled sadly. "We managed to stop them, yeah... at the cost of some lives. But I'm not sure if that was the end of it. Had to say it scared me for a moment. That's why I thought... if it was possible to see you again, I'd ask you for a favour."

The Doctor frowned. He must _really_ be out of touch with the current news, thought Jack as he watched the Doctor's expression turned grim. The Doctor looked up towards him.

"Yes... yes, I'd keep that in mind. Honestly Jack, I couldn't imagine—"

Jack hastily raised his hands up. "It's okay! I'm not blaming you or anything, I know you can't always be around to save everyone." He shrugged. "Guess I'll need to rebuild Torchwood from scraps again. In the mean time. And find some suitable people to make up for the ones I've lost."

Jack took a long breath before smiling at him. "So until that time, I'll do my best on the things I do. You _better_ come when I need your help."

"Of course..." said the Doctor.

Jack started to turn around to leave before pausing. "And Doctor," he said before smiling again. "Although I understand it that you might be hesitant to meet again with your old friends after your regenerations and all, but it doesn't hurt to say hi once a while. Because meeting you, had changed my life. You've taught me to view humanity in a new way when I grew tired of it, and I'm grateful for that. I bet it was the same for many others. So you can't just cut us off so easily after all that, ya know? Remember that, _old friend_."

The Doctor nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

Jack gave him a mock salute and started walking away, not noticing the peculiar smile that gradually creep up on the Time Lord's feature as he started to recall memories of a far-away future.

" _He_ 's still alive in a way, you know... Jack. Maybe not in me, spare the remaining memories... but you _know_ a part of him still lives. If _that_ was a consolation." The Doctor suddenly said.

Jack turned around, an unreadable expression on his face. "But _he_ wasn't actually around _here_ somewhere, isn't it? I bet you've sent him to the same place Rose and her mother should have been in. I've checked, you know. After that time when you dropped me, Martha... Sarah-Jane and Mickey off... I figured it out. That was why Mickey didn't stay with them and went with us."

"I don't think you'd just drop him off somewhere by himself... and no Rose or Jackie Tyler could be found _anywhere_ on the globe, so you must have sent him with them _somewhere_."

The Doctor shrugged, mentally scolding himself. It was tactless of him to talk about his meta-crisis _brother_ to Jack so suddenly. He sighed.

"Take care of yourself, Captain."

Jack smiled. "You too... Doctor. Oh wait, you haven't explained—", he said as the man returned to his TARDIS and disappeared from view. He sighed.

Ah... guess he'd ask about those explanations the next time. They really need to have that _long_ talk someday.


	3. Gwen's Resolution

Gwen speed up her pace as she caught up to Jack who had been sitting by the pier in a daze. She glanced up towards the darkening sky as she shook her head worriedly.

She brushed away the stray raindrops on Jack's hair as she started scolding him.

"Silly Jack, what're you doing? You'll catch a cold like this... let's get inside!" she said as Gwen started to drag Jack towards the Information Centre entrance of the hub.

Jack groaned loudly as he half-heartedly let himself being dragged along. "Do I have to? It's not like it could get worse, me getting a cold..."

Gwen clicked her tongue at him in annoyance before started fussing over him once they were inside. Jack chuckled.

"Wouldn't Rhys mind it if you fussed over me a bit too much?"

Gwen rolled her eyes at him. "Is that why you kept trying to avoid having to stay at my place for too long? You're worried about Rhys? Jack, for all its worth you're more than a friend to me. I would care _a lot_ should anything happen to you and I did almost lose you—and god forbid no one shall stop me from looking out after your well-being Captain Jack Harkness!"

Jack looked away almost guiltily before muttering his apologies. Gwen looked at him with concern. "So what happened?"

He shrugged. "It's nothing worrisome. I'm just moping."

Gwen frowned. "Moping? Moping about what?"

Jack cocked his head to his side, almost uncaring. "I lost _my_ Doctor. Just that, and another person popped in. I guess this time I took it differently, probably 'coz I wasn't in some life-threathening end-of-the-world situation like last time. And I thought I could handle it, he did almost gone that end _that_ time during the Dalek incident."

"Lost? What do you mean... the Doctor _died_? Some other Time Lord took his place?"

Jack shook his head. "No... no. It's still the same Doctor, same Time Lord. There was no other, he was the last. He just... regenerated. He—he would just _change_ his cells, appearance, everything... the moment his life might be ending. He'd still be alive... yet, he's a different person."

"So yeah, I'm moping for the loss of the Doctor _I knew_. Kinda pathetic... yeah, but well at the moment I had time to do useless things like this, might as well take this chance..." Jack looked towards Gwen as if expecting her to laugh at him.

She just smiled and ran a hand over his hair.

"Well... I can't blame you to react like that. I don't quite know the Doctor spare that one instance we saw through the monitor during that sub-wave communication network. But I knew you for quite a long time to know that the Doctor was an important person to you."

Jack grinned. "Yeah... he was. Changed my life, he did. The old Doctor, _two_ versions of his incarnations in fact." He sighed. "But well, I still haven't got the chance to see this new version of him at work so I might give him a chance. He promised to help in case we needed it, I'd kick him if he broke that. Hopefully it won't happen like that. Honestly that man loves to run around so much... and I swear his life gets more confusing the more I knew him. Not sure which was even more confusing; his or my life."

He stopped talking for a moment before turning back towards Gwen.

"Gwen... I'm afraid."

Gwen frowned. "Afraid? Afraid about what?"

He shrugged. "Starting anew. Restarting all of this again. I mean, last time... there was still Torchwood One and Torchwood Two; so even when I had made drastic changes for this hub during the year 2000, it was just for this Torchwood Three. But now, this hub was the only thing that's left of Torchwood. Restarting it again... will have a greater impact to the future of this organization, I'm not sure..."

"Would you let that stop you?" Jack looked up to her as Gwen smiled. "Would you let that deter you from doing it? Jack, you've managed to lead Torchwood before... you can do it again. Now."

Jack snorted. "Last time, I only ended up taking command merely due to technicalities. _This_ time..."

"This time it won't be any different,"said Gwen in reassurance as Jack studied her carefully.

"So are you sure about it? Going back to work for Torchwood? There's no turning back if we're making it official after this. Because right now, Gwen... you not only have Rhys, your mother to look after. There's Anwen too... and I can't—"

Gwen placed a hand on Jack's arm.

"I am sure about it. I am _bloody_ sure about it," she answered firmly. "Yes, at times I hated this job whenever my family got dragged into danger and whenever something just turned out wrongly—but I could not deny that I'm meant to keep continuing _doing_ this job to protect everyone."

She stared unblinkingly towards Jack to show how serious she was. She continued. "It's not just about the _thrill_ of fighting all these extra-terrestial stuffs, all these secrecies and double lives. It's about doing the right thing... and we do need more of those kinds of people desperately nowadays because it seemed that we're quite lacking the type of people who wouldn't just follow orders regardless how wrong they were. That's why Torchwood is still needed and that's the reason I'm staying."

"I know you're worried about me, being the only other member still remaining. I've been through it, I know how many members in the past who have worked in this organization that never lived to a ripe old age. I know the myth... and I know how much you wanted to keep everyone alive. And me, being the only one left now... aside from you."

Jack heaved a long sigh as Gwen tightened her grip on his arm. "So let me stay. Because I _won't_ want to leave you to do this job alone by yourself. Not if I can help it."

Jack smiled weakly at her before shifting his sitting position slightly. "Stubborn girl..." he muttered as Gwen chuckled. "And here I am, _worrying_ if I could ever again find some other team members as good as you and the guys."

Gwen grinned. "Well... at least now you have me, and Rex if he finally made up his mind to join us—and you don't need to worry about him dying too fast with his current situation—and that's a good start. I've managed to survive this long after all..."

He nodded. "That you did..." he said thoughtfully. "Wonder if the fact that you were married ended up being a protective charm that kept you alive while being a part of Torchwood?"

Gwen gave him a look of disbelief before slapping him at the sides. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Jack grinned at her teasingly. "Well, you _know_ the myth... most of the Torchwood staff never really managed to lived long enough. Spare some. Most who did survived that myth though... coincidentally were married themselves. Even my late wife, _she_ died of old age."

Gwen poked his sides rather roughly. "What's that supposed to mean? You want to scout new members that fit that criteria?"

"Can't say I didn't try," Jack said as he stuck a tongue at her. "Still, I'd need to find people with exceptional abilities as well. That might be even harder to find; I'll need to get good people with skills as well as ones who could survive all of the challenges working with Torchwood entitled. And reliable enough as to not misuse the knowledge and the technologies we have here. I wonder if I could still find people who fits all that requirement. I have seen so many things... so many different people, as much as I wanted to expand this organization I'm afraid of the risks if things went wrong. Look at Torchwood One... and Torchwood India..."

He sighed. "That's why I wondered if I could ever find more good people like you or Ianto or Toshiko or Owen. People that I could entrust to not ended up being corrupted by all this..."

"You _will_ , Jack. I'll help too, I have a good eye on people... and you're not such a bad judge on character yourself. After all, you've managed to gather all of us together... and there's always Martha. It's like that time when Harriet Jones told you to pass her message to the Doctor. _You_ also have chosen your people well."

Jack looked up to her as if he found that statement hard to believe.

"We'll manage it. We'll rebuild Torchwood to be even more stronger than it ever has been. Gather our strengths again," she said again before winking. "We might even grow stronger than UNIT or any other simlar organizations outside combined! That'll show 'em!"

Jack grinned again. "Who know if we could, eh?" he said as he placed his hand on Gwen's shoulder gratefully. "Thank you,"

Gwen punched him lightly on his side. "Sure. Anyway it'll take a lot for you to push me out of Torchwood. So don't try. Besides... you'd be hopeless without me around to keep you in check." she added as Jack snorted aloud.

"Yeah... I guess." he said before making a face. " _Now_ can you let me off to mope in private?" he asked as Gwen laughed.

"No, Rhys's been cooking lots for dinner. I'm not letting you off to leave me and mum having to finish the rest of those food ourselves," she exclaimed before looking out again to see if the rain had let up. She immediately urged him to follow her to her car without stalling.

Jack chuckled as he got into the passenger seat.

"Gwen Elizabeth Cooper, if I hadn't known better I'd think you're trying to make me married to your family!"

Gwen laughed. "You bet I am! Won't hurt to have an extra hand in watching over my daughter..."

He laughed. "Oh yes... it's all about Anwen, isn't it?"

Gwen gave him a long stare before pulling over. "Of course. If we're not around to protect the past, present and future, what hope do _we_ have for our children?"

"You're right at that," he said before letting out a long sigh. "I guess that means I'll have a lot of paperwork to do and _people_ to contact after this."

Gwen waved him away. "Paperworks are _nothing_... after all of the things we faced these few months, doing mundane stuffs like this might be a good change."

Jack snorted at that as Gwen steered the car into the oncoming traffic.


End file.
